Windmill.



No. 683,697. Patented (lot. I, i901. J. W. MAXWELL. WINDMIILL: ncmon filed Apr. 22, 1901.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Shae! I.

- l'n've'niar. John WMazu/elZ a gahr .1; w. MAXWELL;

WIN D M I L L.

(Application filed Apr. 22, 1901.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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No. 683,697. Patented put. I, l90l.

J. W. MAXWELL,

WINDIMLL.

' (Application fled Apn, B2, 1901.

(No Model.)

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I? v Inveniar. Jaizn "(Maxwell UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W. MAXWELL, OF COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO.

WINDMILL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 683,697, dated. October 1, 1901.

Application filed April 22, 1961. Serial No. 56,945. (No model.) 7

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN W. MAXWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at 0010- rado Springs, in the county of El Paso and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in \Vindmills, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to windmills; and it consists, essentially, in so disposing the wheel that it shall turn in the direction the wind blows, and thereby utilize the full force of the latter, in concentration of the power over the pull, and in disposing the vane below instead of above the shaft, so as to avoid topheavii 5 ness and hold the mill-head steady.

The object of the invention is to produce a windmill embracing the features above enumerated as desirable which is of simple, strong, durable, and comparativelyinexpensive construction.

To this end the invention consists in certain novel and peculiar features of construction and combinations of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed, and in order that it may be fully understood reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings,in which Figure 1 is a vertical section taken on the line I I of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a top plan view. Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line III III of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line IV IV of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the wind-vane. Y

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 designates the posts of the tower, and 2 3 the usual pump-piston stem, said parts being swiveljointed together in the usual or any preferred manner.

4 designates a circular table having upwardly-projecting walls at its margins and mounted upon the tower and bolted, preferably, thereto, as shown at 5, and journaled in said table and extending radially thereof is a plurality of shafts 6, carrying antifrictionrollers 7 as a support for the table 8, the latfor having depending walls fitting snugly over the stationary table 4, and in order to eliminate lateral movement of the revoluble table 8 it is provided with inwardly-projecting ribs 9, bearing against the outer wall of the stationary table. (See Fig. 1.) To hold the upper or revoluble table in its proper position, it is provided with a plurality of hangers 10, of angular formation, preferably, so as to underlie the stationary table, and mounted on said hangers are antifriction-rollers 11, which prevent the rotary table from being lifted and at the same time eliminate friction while said table is revolving under such lifting action. These guard-rollers 11 have no function except at such times as the wind is exerting a lifting effect, as practically the whole weight is sustained upon rollers 7, which are, in fact, track-rollers. At the lower end of the hangers are journaled horizontal rollers 12, which travel upon a circular track 13, surrounding the tower,for a purpose which hereinafter appears.

Bolted upon the rotary table at diametrically opposite points are bearings 14 for the diametric shaft 15, having a crank 16 at its middle, connected pivotally by pitman 17 to the upper portion 3 of the piston-stem hereinbefore referred to, and mounted upon said shaft at opposite sides of the table are windwheels, constructed as follows:

18 designates the hub provided with a series of radial spokes 19, connected about midway their length by a band 20 and at their outer ends by a second band 21, said bands being concentric with the hub.

22 designates arms, preferably four in numher, which extend radially through bands 20 21 and are journaled at their inner ends in the hub, and holding said arms reliably in this position are a pair of collars 23 24, mounted upon them at the inner and outer sides of band 21. These collars eliminate longitudinal without interfering with rotatable movement. Mounted upon the inner ends of said armsare crank-arms 25 for a purpose which hereinafter appears, and outward of collars 23 arms 22 are diametrically split or slotted to receive at right angles to their plane of motion the blades 26. At suitable points the blades are provided with slots 27 to receive bearing-boxes 28 (made in two parts for convenience of securing it in position) for the split arms, which boxes are connected together by braces 29, said braces being preferably of arc shape and arranged obliquely of the plane of movement of the wheel, so that by intersecting said plane the contiguous ends of the two parts will permit the adjacent blade to assume a position at right angles to 'upon the rotary table and formed centrally with a vertical sleeve-bearing 81 for the vertical governor-shaft 32, said shaft being driven through the medium of the small gear 33 at its lower end engaging a large gear 34 on crank-shaft 15. The governor embraces, as usual, the pendent pivoted arms 35, carrying balls or weights 36, adjustable thereon through the medium of nuts 37 upon said arms, said arms being pivotally connected by links 38 to the collar 39, mounted to slide upon and rotate with said shaft, said collar being arranged as it rises and falls to impart corresponding movement to the cross-head 40, the latter being journaled, however, so that it shall not partake of the rotary action of sleeve 39. Reciprocatory cross-head 40 is pivotally connected by links 41 to the bellcrank levers 42, mounted on arms of bearings l4, and said levers in turnare pivotally connected by links 43 with the bands 44, journaled upon collars 45, keyed to turn with and slide longitudinally upon shaft 15 and pivotally linked, as at 46, to the crank-arms 25, hereinbefore described, the arrangement being such that the governor upon attaining a certain speed shall automatically reduce the surface of the wind-wheels exposed to the action of the wind. As the speed of the governor diminishes, the area of the wheels exposed to the wind is proportionately in creased, as will be readily understood. In order to get the full and continuous action of the wind on the shaft at the same power, the blades of the wheels break joint with one another, the effect being where two wheels are employed that the wind acts upon a vertically-disposed blade once in each oneeighth revolution. It is to be understood, of course, that additional wheels may be provided, if desired, and that the number of blades on each wheel likewise may be varied. In case the tank (not shown) is full of water and it is desired that the mill shall remain inactive, the blades are folded to inoperative position by extending the governor to its widest extent (see dotted lines, Fig. l) and securing it in such position, the expansion of the governor being accomplished, of course, by the folding of the wheel-blades. This action is attained by means of the sleeve 47, journaled between collar 39 and cross-head 40, so as to participate in the reoiprocatory action of said parts, but not in the rotary action of the former, and pivotally connected to said sleeve is a lever 48, from which hangs pendently a cable 49, adapted to be attached to the eyebolt 50 or its equivalent on the rotating table, so that under ordinary action it turns with the table and cannot become twisted in any of the operating parts of the machine. When the machine is to remain inactive, said cable is pulled downward to operate the lever and is reattached to said eyebolt nearer its point of connection with the lever, so as to hold the outer end of the latter depressed, the lever being fulcrumed on the bracket 51, projecting from frame 30, as shown in Fig. 2.

With a windmill of the. character describedthat is, with a wheel which rotates with instead of at right angles to the wind it is necessary to incase one half of the wheels from the wind; otherwise the pressure on one half would counterbalance that of the other half and the machine would be inoperative. In my construction I prefer to incase the lower half of the wheels in semicircular casings 52, secured to the hangers 10, (see Fig. 1,) and consequently braced from inward movement by the rollers 12, engaging track'l3, the rollers of these parts presenting the minimum of friction. The casings are also braced from inward and outward movement' by means of connecting-braces 53 near their opposite ends, and in order to present as little surface resistance to the wind as possible their extreme front and upper ends are tapered to a point or prow, as at 54. They are additionally supported by means of hanger-bearings 55, secured to the enter sides and journaled upon the ends of the shaft 15, these hanger-bearings also serving to lend stability to said shaft. The casings provide in addition vanes which serve to fairly accurately hold the Wheels so that they shall rotate in the plane of the wind movement; but as an additional precaution sleevebrackets 56 are secured to the rotatable table 8 at diametrically opposite points and centrally of the machine and are adapted to receive, one or the other, accordingly as. it is desired the wheel shall rotate in one direction or the other, the stem of a vane 57, said vane being secured rigidly in position by a set-screw 58, carried by said sleeve-brackets. Then the vane is engaged with one bracket, a rod 59 -is secured in the other bracket by its set-screw, said rod carrying an adjustable weight 60, so as to counterbalance the weight of the vane and the pressure of the wind thereon and tend to insure the rotation of table 8 in a perfectly horizontal plane.

It is believed that a recapitnlation of the operation is unnecessary, as the various op erations have been pointed out in detail; but, to summarize, it will be noticed that by disposing the wheels to turn in the direction the wind blows friction is eliminated and a higher speed attained than where the wheel rotates at right angles to the wind, as in all windmills now on the market. It will be noticed also that the power is concentrated directly over the pull, though in the drawings the width of the machine is out of proportion to what it should be, the width being increased proportionately in the drawings in order to show the machine up to better advantage.

It will also be understood that by the disposition of the vane below the crank-shaft the action of the wind thereon tends to hold the mill-head steady, and finally it will be observed that the construction is simple, compact, strong, and durable throughout and that there are no small parts which are liable to get out of order.

It will be understood, of course, that while.

I have described and illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention I reserve the right to make such changes in its form, proportion, detail construction, and arrangement of the parts as shall not involve a departure from its spirit and scope.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. Ina windmill, a rotary table, ashaft journaled upon the table and adapted for operating suitable machinery, a wheel mounted on said shaft and embracing adjustable blades, so as to present more or less surface to the wind, a casing shielding 'a portion of said wheel from the wind, and means for folding said blades to inoperative position, substantially as described.

2. In a windmill, arotary table, a shaftjournaled upon the table and adapted for operating suitable machinery, a wheel mounted on said shaft and embracing adjustable blades so as to present more or less surface to the wind, a casing shielding a portion of said wheel from the wind, and a governor geared to the shaft and connected so as to vary the angle of said blades to the wind acordingly as the speed of the wheel increases or diminishes, substantially as described.

3. In a windmill, arotary table, a shaftjournaled thereon, and adapted for operating suitable machinery, a wheel mounted on said shaft and embracing adjustable blades so as to present more or less surface to the wind, a casing shielding a portion of said wheel from the wind, a frame mounted upon the table, a shaft journaled therein and geared to the first-named shaft, a governor mounted upon the shaft journaled in said frame, a cross-head adapted to be reciprocated by the governor, a crank-arm connected to adjust each blade, and suitable connections between said crosshead and said crank-arms whereby the blades shall be turned at an angle to the wind according to the speed of the governor, substantially as described.

4. In a windmill, a rotary table,a shaft journaled thereon,and adapted for operating suitable machinery, a wheel mounted on said shaft and embracing adjustable blades so as to present more or less surface to the wind, a casing shielding a portion of said wheel from the wind, a frame mounted upon the table, a shaft journaled therein and geared to the first-named shaft, a governor mounted upon the shaft journaled in said frame, a crosshead adapted to be reciprocated by the governor, bell crank levers suitably mounted and linked to said cross-head, collars keyed to slide upon and turn with the first-named shaft, bands journaled upon said collars so as to reciprocate therewith and pivotally linked to said bell-crank levers, crank-arms connected to the wheel-blades, and links connecting said crank-arms with said reciprocatory collars, substantially as described.

5. In a windmill the combination with a shaft suitably journaled,of a wheel arranged and adapted to operate in a vertical plane and comprising a hub mounted on the shaft, radial arms suitably journaled, blades secured to said arms, a shield or casing for the lower part of the wheel, said shield or casing being vertically disposed, approximately semicircular in form, and pointed at its ends, and means for causing said blades to present more or less surface to the wind, substantially as described.

6. In a windmill, the combination of a shaft suitably journaled, of a wheel arranged and adapted to operate in a vertical plane and comprising a hub mounted on the shaft, radial arms suitably journaled, blades secured to said arms, a shield or casing for the lower part of the wheel, said shield or casing being vertically disposed, approximately semicircular in form, and pointed at its ends,and means for automatically adj ustingsaid blades so as to cause them to present more or less surface to the wind, substantially as described.

7. In a windmill, the combination with a shaft suitably journaled, of a wheel comprising a hub mounted on the shaft, spokes projecting therefrom, concentric bands connecting the spokes intermediate of and at their outer ends, radial arms journaled in said bands, and provided with crank-arms at their inner ends, blades secured in said arms outward of said bands, and a circular brace, comprising bearings journaled on said arms and connected by arc-shaped braces,substantially as described.

8. In a windmill, the combination with a shaft suitably journaled, of a wheel comprising a hub mounted on the shaft, spokes projecting therefrom, concentric bands connecting the spokes intermediate of and at their outer ends, radial arms journaled in said bands, and provided with crank-arms at their inner ends, collars engaging said arms at opposite sides of one of said bands to prevent longitudinal movement, blades secured to said arms outward of said bands and provided with openings, and a circular brace for said arms comprising bearings journaled thereon, and occupying said blade-openings, and areshaped braces connecting said bearings, substantially as described.

9. In a Windmill,the combination of a tower, a table secured thereon, and provided with a plurality of track-rollers, an inverted table fitting over the first-named table and resting upon said rollers, hangers depending from the rotary table, rollers carried by said hangers and engaging the under side of the sta tionary table, a shaft journaled upon the retary table, wheels mounted on said shaft, casings inclosing the lower parts of said wheels, and secured to said hangers, and hangerbearings secured to the casings and engaging the opposite ends of said shaft, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN W. MAXWVELL.

Witnesses:

H. O. RODGERS, G. Y. THORPE. 

